Flashback is an interesting novel, combining elements of science fiction with a sort of "post-apocalyptic America." The characters are interesting, and the plot is unpredictable. There's enough techie stuff to keep sci-fi nerds entertained.

Unfortunately, the author loads up his story with long political lectures in which he expounds on what I presume are his personal political biases. If these lectures were balanced or well-informed, perhaps they would be excusable. But as it is, they have all the insight and balance of a Rush Limbaugh rant. The author expounds on political subjects on which he is apparently ignorant, in the end achieving a sort of parody of Sarah Palin, where everything is black and white, good or evil.

The book is worth a listen, but more than once while listening I wished the author had chosen to empty his political garbage elsewhere.

I'm afraid to quote, paraphrase, or summarize this book, for fear of the author's views being taken as my own. If you hate all democrats, Japanese, Muslims, and Mexicans, you might like this book. If I could get past the racism and politics, I'd be reading a book about unlikeable jerks. I've endured over 5 hours of it, and I can't take it anymore. I'm deleting this one from my library.

I read the reviews, and being fairly liberal myself I kept an open mind about it, and I wasn't all that bothered by the right wing agenda of the characters. Most of what everyone is complaining about occurs in static scenes where two characters talk (playing chess, in the cab of a truck, at a desk) and blame the bleak future on Obama (specifically) and American policy in this decade, and because these are isolated incidents, it just sounds like a cranky old author bitching because he can. But the story itself is fascinating -- it is BLEAK as hell, but incredibly compelling -- bleak in a different way than 2030 by Albert Brooks was bleak (I still can't believe that ALBERT BROOKS the comedian wrote that? He had to have had some help). In Flashback, the Japanese are a superpower, whereas in 2030 it is the Chinese. All extrapolating plausible outcomes based upon current trends (remember when the sci fi books of the 80s blamed the bleak future on the Reagan administration?).

However, if you are a Dan Simmons fan, you will enjoy this book tremendously despite the occasional political griping. He is still one of the most interesting writers working today, and this story is layered and rich, and it will throw you many surprises along the way. Just try not to get too depressed. It is worth it all the way to the end.

This is not a political book, it is speculative fiction, it has a sense of humor to it. It is a crazy scenario of the future and Mr. Simmons is doing his best to give an idea of what would happen if in a bad economy a new drug arose which people could relive their past. I do not believe that Mr. Simmons is a republican, he is fearless in his portrayal of the future when everyone basically gives up. I really enjoyed this book and I loved how he ended it. The narration was terrific.

What an amazing story. The entire book from cover to cover was exciting and kept me coming back. The one issue I had was the narrator for Val sounded like he was reading a children's book to sick kids in a hospital. His lines consist of curses, rapes, murder etc, but he sounds like he's reading Mr. Men books. It really took me out of Val's story because of how annoying his voice was.

Thankfully Val's story is the least read of the 3, and the other two narrators were fantastic, so it wasn't too bad.

I would listen again because the form is a murder mystery and now that I know the solution I would like to reread to find the clues.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Flashback?

The solution to the mystery is very dramatic.

Any additional comments?

It is the tone of this book that makes it so good. It is very politically incorrect and presents a believable dystopian future. In fact, this book, originally published in 2011, accurately predicts things that have since happened (although he failed to foresee the dramatic rise of ISIS). Indeed, one prediction came true today, 7/14/15.